World Cup charity wallchart by Luton Town fan smashes NICU fundraising target as orders flood in from across the globe

Luton Town season ticket holder Elliott Quince has designed a wallchart for the tournament which kicked off in Russia on Thursday, and will see 32 nations do battle.

And it’s been so in demand that he’s had to request a couple of extra print runs, after his initial batch of a several hundred A2 posters ran out in next to no time.

After producing wallcharts for major football tournaments every two years since the 2010 South African World Cup, Elliott was setting his sights on a £3,000 target for the NICU.

But the interest has snowballed and he’s raked in circa £12,000 this time, after the £10 wallchart was promoted on social media by Luton Town and a number of ex-Hatters’ players, with requests coming in from across the globe.

“It’s been brilliant,” he said. “It’s been a full-time job this year. I produced the artwork over a fortnight as and when, trying to fit it in between paid jobs. I’ve been going to the Post Office ever single morning to post tubes. We’re on first name terms with them there!”

The 41-year-old, of Hillborough Road, Luton, was inspired to help the NICU after the birth of his daughter, Tuesday, in 2009.

He said: “She needed help from the NICU. I am an illustrator and wanted to give something back for them. She was born a couple of weeks late, and wasn’t breathing for ten minutes after she was born. They said there was a high chance of brain damage.

“A treatment from the States was on trial here where babies were put on a cooling mat. An incubator normally keeps them warm, but this kept her a couple of degrees lower which kept her blood pumping quicker and flushed out any abnormalities.

“She’s nine now and is fine. She plays for Luton Town U10 girls at the player development centre.”

The Russian Matryoshka doll-themed wallchart features illustrations of key players from all of the 32 competing nations, including familiar names such as Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar plus a few faces from the more unfancied nations such as Iran’s Sardar Azmoun... and England’s Harry Kane!

A cluster of Russian dolls featuring legends of past World Cups sit at the centre of the chart, featuring such footballing luminaries as Zidane, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Moore, Zoff and of course Pele.

All the wallcharts are now sold out but you can order individual player prints via http://www.quinkyart.com/